AU2017291427A1

AU2017291427A1 - Modular panel for pool walls and corresponding pool

Info

Publication number: AU2017291427A1
Application number: AU2017291427A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jean-Louis Desjoyaux; Jacky TRIPIER
Original assignee: Piscines Desjoyaux SA
Current assignee: Piscines Desjoyaux SA
Priority date: 2016-07-01
Filing date: 2017-06-30
Publication date: 2019-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2037-06-30
Also published as: CN109328252A; AU2017291427B2; MX2018015594A; EP3478907B1; PL3478907T3; PT3478907T; US10689871B2; BR112018076164A8; EP3478907A1; BR112018076164A2; ES2808872T3; RU2726682C1; CN109328252B; FR3053372B1; WO2018002552A1; BR112018076164B1; UA122727C2; FR3053372A1; US20190218802A1; SA518400768B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular panel made of plastic material for manufacturing pool walls, comprising: a generally rectangular main body (1) of which a first surface (1a) is intended for being oriented towards the inside of the pool, the lengths of the main body (1) defining a reference plane (P); a complementary body capable of being attached to a second surface (1b) of the main body (1) and defining a hollow column intended for receiving concrete; the panel being characterised in that the first surface (1a) has an initial convex transverse curve on the width of the main body (1) in a plastic injection mould, the maximum amplitude of the transverse curve relative to the reference plane (P) being selected to compensate for all or part of the deformations that occur between the removal from the mould and the setting of the concrete, in the transverse and longitudinal directions.

Description

MODULAR PANEL FOR POOL WALLS AND CORRESPONDING POOL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of structural elements for pools and swimming pools. It specifically relates to modular panels intended to form the vertical walls in a pool.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Building pool walls with identical modular panels assembled together is known.

The documents EP0382649 and FR2765909 disclose generally rectangular modular panels made of plastic material, the width of which (of the order of a few tens of cm) is reduced relative to the height (of the order of 120cm). The panels comprise a main body having an inner surface which constitutes the inner wall of the pool and an outer surface provided with a vertical, hollow reinforcing element, adapted to receive concrete and to form a vertical column for holding the structure (also called a chimney).

The main body of each modular panel is obtained from plastic injection moulds having a planar surface widthwise and lengthwise, to form the inner surface of the main body; the latter is expected to be planar after assembling and formwork, to provide a correct planarity of the whole inner wall of the pool.

A defective planarity has however been noted in the inner faces of the pool walls built with modular panels of the state of the art, after mounting and formwork thereof. A defective planarity more particularly results in a ripple effect of the inner wall of the pool, which is a not qualitative visual effect for the end user.

AIM OF THE INVENTION

One aim of the invention is to provide a modular panel made of plastic material making it possible to obtain a correct planarity of the inner walls of the pool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to	a modular	panel	made of
plastic material for	manufacturing	pool	walls,
comprising:
• a generally rectangular	main body of	which	a first

surface is intended for being oriented towards the inside of the pool, with the lengths of the main body defining a reference plane;

• a complementary body capable of being attached to a second surface of the main body and defining a hollow column intended for receiving concrete;

the panel is characterised in that the first surface has an initial convex transverse curve on the width of the main body in a plastic injection mould, with the maximum amplitude of the transverse curve relative to the reference plane being selected to compensate for all or part of the deformations, that occur between the removal from the mould and the setting of the concrete, in the transverse and longitudinal directions.

The modular panel according to the invention makes it possible to obtain inner pool walls having a correct planarity thanks to the initial convex transverse curve of the panel main body, a first surface of which will form an inner surface of the pool walls. As a matter of fact, the initial convex transverse curve makes it possible to compensate for at least a part of the deformations that occur between the removal from the mould and the setting of the concrete, on the first surface of the main body, in both the transverse and longitudinal directions.

According to advantageous characteristics of the invention, taken either separately or in combination:

• the maximum amplitude of the convex curve ranges from 0.2% to 0.7% of the width of the main body;

• the first surface has a null longitudinal curve along the length of the main body, in the plastic injection mould or immediately after the removal thereof from the injection mould;

• the main body comprises longitudinal peripheral wings provided with fastening members for assembling the modular panel with other identical panels;

• the main body comprises locking means which cooperate with complementary means included on the complementary body.

The invention also relates to a swimming pool comprising walls comprising a plurality of modular panels as disclosed above, with the inner faces of the walls having a deviation, with respect to their median planes, of less than 1mm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description of the invention which follows with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- Figures la and lb respectively show a cross-sectional and a longitudinal view of a modular panel after formwork according to the state-of-the-art;

- Figure 2 shows the main body of a modular panel according to the invention;

- Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main body of a modular panel according to the invention;

- Figure 4 shows a main body and a complementary body of a modular panel according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the descriptive part, the same references in the figures can be used for elements of the same type.

Modular panels made of injected plastic material, having a generally rectangular shape and having a length (along axis z in the Figures) and a width (along axis x in the Figures) are considered here. The length of the panel defines the height of the pool wall obtained after assembling a plurality of modular panels. The longitudinal direction is the one extending along the panel length and the transverse direction is the one extending along the panel width.

The modular panels considered are formwork panels, i.e. they comprise a longitudinal compartment for casting concrete therein. They further include a first surface la which matches the inner surface of the pool wall.

The Applicant could note that the inner faces of the pool walls built with modular panels 10 of the state of the art, made of plastic material, after mounting and formwork thereof, were rippled. Such deformations result in a concave curve, i.e. forming a recess at the first surface la of the panel 10 matching the inner surface of the wall. Figures la and lb are respectively cross-sectional and longitudinal views illustrating the type of curve noted. The first surface 11 of the modular panel 10 of the state-of-the-art is deformed into a concave curve (along the axis y in the Figures) , in the transverse direction (Figure la) as well as in the longitudinal direction (Figure lb).

For example, starting from a first planar surface la, in the plastic injection mould, of a modular panel 10 having a length of 1.2m and a width of 0.25m, the transverse concave curve of the first surface la after formwork may be of the order of 1.5mm to 2mm and the longitudinal concave curve may be of the order of 2mm to 5mm.

The Applicant also noted that adding reinforcing ribs at the back of the first surface la, which is a logical counter-measure aiming at rigidifying the structure, was not efficient to eliminate such deformations.

After multiple tests, the Applicant determined that the first surface la of the modular panel 10 was submitted to several mechanical stresses causing successive concave and convex deformations, with various amplitude, in the transverse and longitudinal directions, with a first deformation causing a concave curve which occurs after the injected plastic panel has dried, typically 24hr after removal thereof from the injection mould; with a second deformation causing a convex curve which occurs upon introducing concrete into the form-work compartment of the panel; eventually, with a third deformation, causing a concave curve which occurs during the drying of concrete because of the shrinking of concrete which substantially heats, thus making the plastic material the panel 10 is made of more deformable.

From these observations, the Applicant could design a modular panel 100 made of plastic material making it possible to eliminate all or part of the ripples noted on the assembled inner walls of a pool.

The modular panel 100 according to the invention comprises a generally rectangular main body 1, of which a first surface la is intended for being oriented towards the inside of the pool (Figure 2) . The lengths L of the main body 1 define the height of the pool walls. In the remainder of the text, the longitudinal direction is the one extending along the length L of the main body 1 and the transverse direction is the one extending along the width A of the main body 1. For example, the length L may range from lm to 1.5m; the width A may range from 0.2 to 0.5m.

According to the invention, the first surface la of the main body 1 has a convex transverse curve on the whole width 1 of the main body 1, in the plastic injection mould or immediately after the removal thereof from the injection mould. Conventionally, the convex transverse curve of the main body 1 in the plastic injection mould or immediately after the removal thereof from the injection mould will be referred to as initial.

Considering a reference plane P defined by the lengths of the main body 1, a convex shape corresponds to a domed curve (as opposed to a recessed curve) of the first surface la, as shown in Figure 3. The maximum amplitude, noted Ci, of the initial convex transverse curve of the main body 1 corresponds to the deviation between the reference plane P and a central point on the width A of the main body 1. Such maximum amplitude is selected to compensate for all or part of a deformation that occurs upon setting of concrete. The maximum amplitude of the initial convex transverse curve of the main body 1 advantageously ranges from 0.2% to 0.7% of the width of the main body 1. For example, for a modular panel 100, 1.2m in length and

0.25m in width, the initial convex transverse curve of the main body 1 is advantageously of the order of 1.2mm.

The first surface la of the main body 1 advantageously has a null or very small longitudinal curve (typically less than 0.4mm) one the whole length L of the main body 1, in the plastic injection mould.

The main body 1 advantageously comprises longitudinal peripheral wings lc, i.e. extending along the lengths L thereof. The longitudinal wings lc are provided with fastening members Id for assembling the modular panel 100 in pairs (Figure 3) . The fastening members Id can, for instance, be of the snap-fit type or adapted to a screw/nut system.

The longitudinal peripheral wings le are advantageously also provided with centering and sealing means. They are formed along two longitudinal wings le, and comprise a male profile le having a substantially triangular section, and of a female profile le', having a substantially triangular section, matching the male profile le. The male le and female le' profiles preferably extend on the whole length (height) of the peripheral longitudinal wings lc.

The main body 1 preferably includes reinforcing ribs If on a second surface lb (Figure 4) . These may extend on the whole length L. They may also form a meshing, if they also extend on the whole, or a part of the width A thereof .

The modular panel 100 also comprises a complementary body 2 capable of being attached to a second surface lb of the main body 1 and defining a hollow column 2a intended for receiving concrete (Figure 4) . The main body 1 thus advantageously includes locking means lg which cooperate with complementary means 2b included on the complementary body 2. For example, the locking means lg may consist of snugs, the free ends of which comprise a shoulder. The complementary means 2b consist in bottlenecked holes. The shoulders on the snugs are first inserted into the widest parts of the holes; the complementary body 2 is then pressed against the second surface lb of the main body 1. Eventually, a downstream longitudinal movement of the complementary body 2 makes it possible to wedge the snugs in the bottlenecked parts of the holes; the shoulders of the snugs, which are wider than the bottlenecked parts, make it possible to lock the complementary body 2 on the main body 1.

The main body 1 and the complementary body 2 are made of plastic material and are produced by injecting and moulding a thermosetting plastic material as mentioned above. For example, the thickness of the main body 1 in

the of,	part the first la is of the order of	and second lb surfaces 2 to 3mm.	are made
To	produce the pool	walls, a plurality of	modular

panels 100 can be assembled into a closed outline. The inner surface of the pool walls consists of all the first surfaces la of the main bodies 1 of the plurality of panels 100. When such assembling is complete, material like concrete is cast into the hollow column

2a of each modular panel 100.

The initial convex transverse curve of the first surface la of the main body 1 of the panel 100 makes it possible to compensate for at least a part of the deformations that occur between the removal from the mould and the setting of the concrete, in the transverse direction and, quite surprisingly, in the longitudinal direction. The amplitude of the initial convex transverse curve depends, among other things, on the dimensions of the panel but can be easily determined by producing a reduced number of prototypes.

For example, starting from a first surface la having an initial convex transverse curve (in the plastic injection mould) of 1.2mm and a null initial longitudinal curve, of a modular panel 100, 1.2m in length and 0.25m in width, the first surface la, when concrete is dry, is planar or substantially planar in the transverse and longitudinal directions. Substantially planar means a transverse longitudinal curve of less than 1mm, advantageously less than 0.5mm.

The swimming pool according to the invention comprises walls formed of a plurality of modular panels 100: the inner surfaces of the walls thus have a deviation with respect to their median planes, of less than 1mm. The median plane of an inner surface of a wall can be defined by the plane passing through the 4 corners of the substantially rectangular shape of the inner surface. The deviation in the transverse direction and the deviation in the longitudinal direction of the inner surface (corresponding to each first surface la of a main body 1 of the assembled modular panels 100) are of less than 1mm. The deviations are advantageously of less than 0.5mm.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and alternative embodiments can be provided within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A modular panel (100) made of plastic material for manufacturing pool walls, comprising:

• a generally rectangular main body (1) of which a first surface (la) is intended for being oriented towards the inside of the pool, the lengths of the main body (1) defining a reference plane (P);

• a complementary body (2) capable of being attached to a second surface (lb) of the main body (1) and defining a hollow column (2a) intended for receiving concrete;

the panel (100) being characterised in that the first surface (la) has an initial convex transverse curve on the width of the mam body (1) m a plastic injection mould, the maximum amplitude of the transverse curve relative to the reference plane (P) being selected to compensate for all or part occur between the removal setting of the concrete, longitudinal directions.

of the deformations that from the mould and the in the transverse and

2. A modular panel (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the maximum amplitude of the initial convex transverse curve ranges from 0.2 to 0.7% of the width of the main body (1) .

3. A modular panel (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first surface (la) has a null initial longitudinal curve along the length of the main body (1), in the plastic injection mould or immediately after the removal thereof from the injection mould.

4. A modular panel (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body (1) comprises

5 longitudinal peripheral wings (lc) provided with fastening members (Id) for assembling the modular panel (100) with other identical panels.

5. A modular panel (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body (1) comprises

10 locking means (lg) which cooperate with complementary means (2b) included on the complementary body (2).

6. A swimming pool comprising walls comprising a plurality of modular panels the preceding claims, the having a deviation, with (100) inner according to faces of the respect to their one of walls median planes, of less than 1mm.